What's in this template
A single 1–5 rating question. Add an open-text follow-up asking what was most confusing — that answer is usually where the real value is.
Why timing matters more than length
New hires stop noticing after a month
The confusion of week one is the most valuable feedback you'll ever get about your process, and it evaporates as people acclimatise. Ask at day 30, not at the six-month review.
Short surveys get answered
A new starter juggling a hundred things will answer one question. They'll skip a twenty-question form, and you'll learn nothing.
Anonymity matters more here than elsewhere
Someone three weeks into a job is not going to criticise their manager with their name attached. Turn on anonymous mode or accept you'll get polite answers.
Run it repeatedly and track the number
One score tells you little. The same question at 30, 60, and 90 days shows whether the experience improves or whether people quietly disengage.
Run it in three steps
Send it at day 30
Early enough that the details are fresh, late enough that they've formed a real view.
Add one open-text question
'What was most confusing in your first two weeks?' produces more actionable feedback than the rating itself.
Compare across cohorts
Run the same poll for each new starter and watch whether the average moves as you change the process.